Who buys clothes in the off season?

I used to work with a guy who always wore the most expensive clothes. One day he told me he always buys his clothes at the end of the season and off season. Its a good idea but I never remember to do it....does anyone else do this?

You can waste a lot of money buying odd colors or sizes that almost fit- but holy smokes: 75% off?!? I'll take 10- then never wear them.

Just saying, consider your needs and look at the actual price, not the discount.

Click to expand...

We don't necessarily shop "off season". We definitely do shop "clearance" and we have found some really excellent deals doing so.

But, like filtersweep, says, price matters, not discount. For example, I needed a winter coat. We were at a local store that was having a store "relocation" sale. Winter coats were 75% off. The final price (about $50) was decent, but not a "super" good price for the quality. I tried on a few. but couldn't shake the feeling that they were not going to last through multiple winters.

We went on down the road to Bass Pro Shops. While I was looking the winter section, my wife came running over from the clearance section. She had found a Colombia winter coat, very high quality, at 50% off. The final price was right at $100. We took it. Even though it was less of a discount and more expensive, it was of a much, much higher quality, and would last many winters.

My wife is always coming home with something like: "Look what I found at the _____ store. You know how _____ needs a new sweater? These are good quality and I got them for only ___$. They were ___% off." Almost always, her key point is the final cost, not the discount percentage.

I often eye things I want well ahead of time and wait for the season they go on sale to get them. I've done this with everything from clothes to cars to guitars. Not so much of an impulse buy then, and after watching prices for awhile you feel comfortable knowing you got a good deal in the end as well.

For clothes staples, I take advantage of the ridiculously fast marketing practices. Right now it's freeze your butt off cold here but winter gear of all kinds is on the sale rack. It's time to sell spring the marketers say. Even though it's 3 months away. Glad I don't work in a store as I know those marketers would drive me nuts.

You can waste a lot of money buying odd colors or sizes that almost fit- but holy smokes: 75% off?!? I'll take 10- then never wear them.

Just saying, consider your needs and look at the actual price, not the discount.

Click to expand...

You don't need to buy the goofy colors. And you do not need to buy the items that don't fit.

The stores want their Winter mdse out of there, now. Why, when it is 30 degrees F outside and going to 8 degrees F over night, the store wants to sell the black hooded sweatshirt in my size for five dollars, is simple: They have Spring clothes that they want in those displays, because they believe that's where the profits are.

Oh, and about those Two Dollar cotton shirts in Orange, bought by the dozen? All I can say is, I want some handy when it is time to hike in the woods when hunters could be present; I'm not concerned about fashion. Keep a couple in each car and when a branch gets stuck in the exhaust system, you can slip that 2 dollar shirt on to slide under there and remove the branch.

We don't necessarily shop "off season". We definitely do shop "clearance" and we have found some really excellent deals doing so.

But, like filtersweep, says, price matters, not discount. For example, I needed a winter coat. We were at a local store that was having a store "relocation" sale. Winter coats were 75% off. The final price (about $50) was decent, but not a "super" good price for the quality. I tried on a few. but couldn't shake the feeling that they were not going to last through multiple winters.

We went on down the road to Bass Pro Shops. While I was looking the winter section, my wife came running over from the clearance section. She had found a Colombia winter coat, very high quality, at 50% off. The final price was right at $100. We took it. Even though it was less of a discount and more expensive, it was of a much, much higher quality, and would last many winters.

My wife is always coming home with something like: "Look what I found at the _____ store. You know how _____ needs a new sweater? These are good quality and I got them for only ___$. They were ___% off." Almost always, her key point is the final cost, not the discount percentage.

I used to work with a guy who always wore the most expensive clothes. One day he told me he always buys his clothes at the end of the season and off season. Its a good idea but I never remember to do it....does anyone else do this?

Click to expand...

When I was younger, I wore a size 8 shoe in some designs and Bruno Maglis fit perfectly.

Size 8 was and I think still is the "Sample Size". I'd get a call from a contact at the local High End Clothier when the sample size shoes were available at $ 59 a pair and I'd hustle over there and buy 6+ pairs at a time. I'd have shoes in 3 different styles in gray when no one else I knew had one pair of gray shoes.

Another time, a very prestigious men's clothier went out of business and I went over there with checkbook in hand, 70-80% off and basically bought ten years' supply of business and formal clothes, even buying half a bit larger in anticipation of how we enlarge as we age. I think I spent 6 hours in that store, taking breaks and rescheduling things at the office. This is long before the Outlet Mall thing.

Maybe the opportunities in Discount Buying are not what they once were. Could be this Quest is on the Overmature side. Could be going to the best store you know of and just buying that one Navy and one Edwardian Gray suit, is a better idea right now. Buying "the best" and buying only things nicer than most anything in your closet will improve your self image, and sometimes slumming and getting jeans for $ 7 a pair could make you feel like a seven dollar person. In the end it depends on what condition your self image is in I guess.

IME, once you factor in the 'experience', buying clearance and off season mainly gets you what you pay for. The new retail clothing model works with markups ranging from outlandish to ridiculous, with 'sales' running near constantly to give buyers the satisfaction of a faux win. It's irritating, but like it or not, it's the norm. That said, I've been dragged to several clearance and outlet events recently, and what I found were odd selections, prices near 'discount' retail and crowds of people just lapping it up.

Either way, a good deal on clothing is great, but as others have said, recognize what you're buying and what you're paying. Sales are designed to move product by implying urgency, and most of the time, it's false urgency. With just a hint of patience and research, I can get clothes I'll want to wear for prices as good or better than found at outlets or clearance events - most of the time, I don't even have to leave the house.